A hulking bodyguard was spotted yesterday tagging along with the Oscar-winning actress and her daughter, Ireland, near their Los Angeles home.

An assistant to Basinger told a Post photographer that mother and daughter had 24-hour security “because of this thing with Alec.”

Baldwin was 3,000 miles away in the Hamptons yesterday.

He stopped in briefly at Liz’s deli in Ammagansett and then drove straight home to his gated mansion.

The hotheaded actor, who has been entangled in a bitter, five-year custody battle with Basinger, blew a fuse on April 11 when Ireland didn’t answer the phone for a court-mandated, daily dish with her dad.

Baldwin, who has since apologized publicly and in private to his daughter, was excoriated for leaving a vindictive, vitriol-spewing voicemail in which he called Ireland a “rude, thoughtless little pig.”

“Once again, I’ve made an ass of myself trying to get to a phone,” he exploded on the voicemail, which was made public last week by the celebrity Web site TMZ.com.

But a source close to the film and TV star turned the tables on Basinger, saying the only protection Ireland needs is from her mother.

“This is a desperate plea for sympathy when the only danger to the child is inside her own home,” said the source, who accused Basinger of leaking the damning tape to alienate Ireland from her father permanently.

“What kind of parent leaks a voicemail that causes her daughter significant embarrassment and unneeded attention?” the source said.

Baldwin has been barred from seeing his daughter at least until a May 4 court date.

His spokesman, Matthew Hiltzik, said Baldwin would continue to obey the judge’s orders.

“Alec truly cares about the best interests of his daughter,” he said.

It could mean that Baldwin might have even less face time with his daughter in the future.

Basinger faces a multicount contempt charge for blocking Baldwin’s visitation rights and forbidding him from speaking with Ireland.